One day you'll meet a tall, dark stranger
by Sakurau121
Summary: Set after Frozen. Anna and Kristoff's relationship is awkward and unresolved, Elsa is ruling Arendelle peacefully but in comes Prince Theobald from the Southern Isles, here to amend his kingdom's relationship with Arendelle. As kind-hearted as he is, his umkempt state, patheticness and lack of nobility does not impress Elsa. At least, not at first. But is everything as it seems?
1. Chapter 1

Author's note: Just a quick note, this is ollieu here, but on a new account as my previous one has got some sort of glitch :( so there are two stories out there like this one with similar titiles, but please follow THIS story as it is the official one. Sorry for the confusion!

Chapter 1

Ever since the day Anna had kissed Kristoff, things had become more and more awkward between them. Due to various celebrations, trade openings and monarch duties happening all across Arendelle, Anna had not been able to see Kristoff frequently enough to discuss their…. Well, their _relationship. _God, just thinking about it made her nervous. _Kristoff_ made her nervous, which meant creating the right time and place to talk about everything all the more difficult.

It was fine summer's evening when Elsa and Anna finally returned to the Palace after a long day out attending the Arendelle Parade, and Anna, exhausted from smiling and waving for twelve hours, went straight into her room in order to change out of her ridiculously tight corset and into something more comfortable. As she sat on her bed changing, she wondered what Kristoff actually meant to her… What was he...A boyfriend? But they had never discussed that sort of thing before. Lovers? No, that sounded too melodramatic. Friends? Well, of course they were friends, but friends don't kiss, at least she didn't think so. Fiancee? No, he hadn't proposed. Best friend? He would have to settle that with Elsa, if he could.

Anna sighed before falling on to her bed. All this uncertainty was making her jittery and nervous, and the truth was ever since they had kissed, all she had felt was severe confusion. She had enjoyed the kiss, no, possibly more than that and of course, she _had_ let him kiss her, but soon afterwards Olaf had interrupted and she suddenly felt really nervous and announced that she had to go back to the castle, avoiding Kristoff's gaze completely and walking away as fast as she could. Actually, now that she thought about, she more or less sprinted. Why had she done that?! Why did she have to go and mess up a perfectly beautiful moment?!

After that, the only times they had had the chance to talk were during social conventions, where there were other people, and they had discussed their… well, whatever it was. Anna and Elsa on the other hand had stuck together like velcro since the day summer returned, and Anna was sure that Elsa still felt a little uncertain about Kristoff. Anna could understand Elsa's slight distrust of men, and indeed Anna herself had learned her lesson to be more cautious, thanks to Hans. But how much was too cautious?

Anna groaned into her pillow before pulling herself up. Enough. Who cared if she looked like a mess? Who cared if she was sleepy and her legs felt like lead? She would go and speak to Kristoff and set things straight. The tension between them was becoming unbearable.

As Anna walked down the hallway, contemplating on what to say to Kristoff, she suddenly slammed her face painfully into a rather large object, causing her to stumble backwards. She nearly fell off her feet but was caught just in time by a pair of foreign hands which grabbed her by the waist. She glanced upwards, short of breath, to thank her saviour…

It was Hans!

"Get - your - hands - off of me!" she yelled, releasing herself from his grip as she fell to the ground.

"Ahh, ouch," she started moaning, rubbing her lower back as she clumsily stood up. Hans had started rambling, but unsurprisingly she hadn't been listening to his apologies due to her painful backside.

"I am _so_ sorry Madam, I am so sorry," came Han's voice, a little desperate and high-pitched, "I had no idea, I'm so silly, my sincerest apologises, I _never_ look where I'm going, I'm afraid it's a most terrible trait of mine. Is there anything that I could to help ease the pain, ice perhaps, oh, or perhaps your sister, she could help with that, or perhaps something else? I could go get her straight away if you so wish! I am so terribly sorry!"

All this was said in such haste that it caused Anna to stop rubbing her back and pause for a moment to think. Hans didn't talk like that, he would never apologise in such a pitiful way and the voice wasn't right, and besides, she swore this man hadn't taken a breath since he started apologising!

Anna slowly glanced up towards the man in front of her. A second later, she eyes widened and she gasped.

True, one could easily mistake this man for Hans. He had the same chin, same hair colour, same sort of build, but upon closer inspection one could see that he had softer features that were less defined, grey eyes which seemed kinder and little less round, hair that looked very unkempt compared to Hans', which was always perfectly in place, and he had the most worried expression that Anna had ever seen on anyone's face. He could rival Elsa's neuroticism. But only just.

He also looked terribly nervous and hunched up, which was probably why he seemed so small, his hands clammy as he wondered where to look.

Anna nearly burst out laughing. He didn't look like a member of the Monarchy, apart from his dress, but even that seemed a little sloppy. He seemed to have no sense of pride or nobility at all. Anna smiled, noticed that they had a similar trait.

"You couldn't possibly be a prince from the Southern Isles, could you?" asked Anna slowly, narrowing her eyes in a humorous way.

The young man looked up at Anna, before smiling and sighing in relief.

"Indeed, I am, Your Majesty, despite my appearance um," he proceeded to clear his throat and stand up a little straighter, revealing his true height, "I am Prince Theobald, the second youngest from the Southern Isles. People don't usually recognise or notice me, no surprise really, I have so many brothers and am basically regarded as a bit of an embarrassment by my family."

He laughed nervously but freezing on the spot.

"My god, here I am discussing my silly life when I should be helping you! Would you like me to fetch your sister?"

"Oh no, oh no, there's no need for that, I'm perfectly fine, it's just that I thought you were your brother, Hans, you looked a bit similar at first-"

"Oh yes, my brother," replied the prince with a little chuckle before his smile quickly disappeared and his eyes lost their lightness. Anna could swear she could see hints of fury and contempt in them.

"Yes, my…. my disgraced brother. I apologise from the bottom of heart for all the pain and suffering that he caused your kingdom, but more importantly for the damage he caused your sister and, and especially you."

This surprised Anna a little, his mood had changed so quickly, and she had not anticipated it. He spoke in such a dark and serious tone, his face ridden of all light-heartedness, a complete contrast to how he was before.

"So," said Anna nervously, unsure what to say. He seemed in earnest but she felt something slightly dangerous resonate from him. Then she remembered the obvious. "If you don't mind me asking, may I ask why you are here?"

For a moment, the prince looked up, confusion in his eyes before smiling and returning to his previous state.

"I'm so sorry, I'm afraid I was somewhere else there for a moment. Why am I here, did you ask? Well, as you can probably imagine, my kingdom has fallen from grace since my brother's disastrous behaviour, many countries have closed trade with us and in order to reestablish ourselves, the King and my brothers decided to renew our relationship with your kingdom. Why they decided that sending _me_ as representative would be a good idea is beyond my understanding but.. Well, anyway, I arrived today and was on my way to see Queen Elsa when… well, I bumped into you!"

Anna frowned. Elsa had never mentioned a visit from a prince, and surely she would have mentioned it to her if it was one from the Southern Isles.

"I see… Well, I'm afraid Elsa never mentioned your coming here, but I'm sure there's a reason why! Elsa will probably be here at dinner. If you like, you can join us as a guest and introduce yourself then?"

"Oh, well, I mean, are you- are you sure? Would she not feel a little uncomfortable with a stranger at her table?" asked the prince hesitantly, his pitifully neurotic expression returning.

"Well, I'm the Princess, and I can invite people just as my sister can, so I really don't see any reason why you can't come, unless of course, you'd rather meet her tomorrow-"

"Oh, not at all, I would be delighted, it's just that, given the recent past, I thought maybe she might not appreciate my attendance-"

"Then what better way to improve things! You should start as soon as possible!" said Anna brightly and enthusiastically, stretching her arms wide.

The prince stared at Anna in admiration before replying, "Princess Anna, you might just be the most forgiving and empathic person I have ever had the good fortune to meet."

"I know," said Anna, shaking her head as she smiled goofily. "Always been my problem. So you'll come?"

"Do I really have a choice?" asked Theobald humourously with a small friendly smirk, shrugging his shoulders.

"Errrr, no, I guess you don't!" said Anna before giggling.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Down in the stables, Sven and Kristoff were restocking ice. They hadn't since Elsa or Anna since before the week of Parades, and Kristoff hadn't seen Anna for two weeks due to her commitments. Things between them were awkward and Kristoff still couldn't understand why Anna had run off like that, after the…. He blushed, tensing up before returning to his work. Had she not liked it? Did his breath stink, was that it? On their way back from the woods, passers-by informed them that the monarchs had returned home. Kristoff had thought of going to see Anna, but then realised that she was probably very tired and in need of rest.

Fireworks went off outside the stables, the sky elumanated by different colours as they worked.

Kristoff let out a huge sigh as he pulled the last block of ice out of his sleigh and stacked it up with the others. In the past, this had been his favourite part of the job, seeing the results of a day's hard work. Now, he couldn't care less. All he could think about was Anna. Anna, Anna, Anna. And it was infuriating.

"What can't I think about anything else?" he stammered in a loud voice unexpectedly, causing Sven to jump.

"Sorry buddy," said Kristoff apologetically to Sven before tiding up his tools. "I think I'm just tired."

"Then perhaps I should come back tomorrow?" came a familiar voice from behind. Kristoff froze, staring at Sven. Sven had dropped his mouth, his eyes wide with disbelief.

"Anna?" said Kristoff, turning around to look outside the stable. Sure enough, there was Anna, standing there with a smile on her face, her arms crossed casually. But she wasn't wearing a dress. Well, not what she usually wore anyway. This seemed looser and dare he say, sort of alluring… He had never seen a girl wearing what she was wearing before. Well, Kristoff wasn't quite sure what is was, but he hoped it wasn't what he hoped- no, thought it was.

"Hey," said Anna nervously, proceeding to cross her arms tighter, her body tensing up, realising that he was staring at her, at her nightwear. "I- I thought you'd be here."

"Anna…" said Kristoff, a glazed expression on his face. Then he frowned.

"What are you wearing?"

"Do you not like it?" asked Anna in desperation after a weird pause, fear in her eyes. "The thing is, I was wearing something else but then I bumped into a prince and then I thought, no, I should make a bigger impression so I went back and changed, and I don't know, I thought you'd like it, and I felt I should try and make myself as clear as possible, and I know you probably haven't seen a nightgown before but-"

"Wait, hang on," interrupted Kristoff, turned swiftly around in panic. "Anna, are you telling me that you walked all the way down here, through the castle, wearing only… _that_?!"

"Er, yes," said Anna hesitantly, wincing. He was angry, she could tell.

"Why would you do that?"

"For you of course!" cried Anna, stamping into the stable. "I haven't seen you in weeks, and ever since our- our- our kiss," both blushed at this point, "all you've done is ignored me. You've never said anything about - anything!"

"Anna," said Kristoff gruffly, turned to glare at her, "_you_ were the one who made things awkward. Do you have any idea how I felt as you ran away from me as if I was Marshmellow? I felt like an idiot, I thought you resented me!"

"Well, why didn't you say something?" retorted Anna, waving her hands around aimlessly. "You had plenty of chances!"

"And what, make more of a moron out of myself?! Anna, for the past few weeks, all I've felt is embarrassment! I don't belong here, socialising with princes and snobs, I don't deserve-"

"Now don't you talk about being underserving mister!" said Anna, pointing a finger at him.

By now Anna was standing right in front of him, and as Kristoff was much taller than her, she had to tilt her face quite up in order to look him in the eyes. As Kristoff took a breath to argue back, his gaze landed below her face, at her…. well, her bosom. But she wasn't wearing…

"Anna!" yelled Kristoff, wide-eyed, turning around once again.

"What, what is it now?" asked Anna angrily, not noticing his obvious embarrassment.

"Anna," asked Kristoff wearily, blood pumped furiously through his veins, "are you- you said you were wearing a night gown."

"Ye-s," replied Anna, frowning.

"Are you wearing any underthings?"

Anna gasped. "Oh my god!" she shrieked, covering herself with her arms. "Did you see - I hadn't thought of that."

"What do you mean you hadn't thought of that?" asked Kristoff hoarsely in disbelief.

"Well, I thought I should look sexier so I- I'm sorry if I upset you." There was a sadness in her voice.

Kristoff sighed before turning around slowly, looking above Anna's head.

"There's nothing to be sorry about, it's just that, you should protect yourself Anna, or your modesty at least. I thought you'd have learned that from Hans," said Kristoff gently and sympathetically, a tone of voice Anna had rarely heard.

"I know, I know, it's just that, I'm desperate and all I've thought about since you kissed me is you kissing me, and I can't get it out of my head. I thought disliked me for running off and I was afraid.."

"Afraid of what?" asked Kristoff gently, slowly looking down at her again.

"Afraid of losing you," said Anna quietly, tears welling up in her eyes as she gazed up at him.

"Oh Anna," said Kristoff with a subtle smile, staring at her deeply for the first time. It had to be said, she was beautiful. Especially in the moonlight. "You could never lose me. You'll always have me, right here," he said, before placing palm on her heart.

Two loud shrieks suddenly came from the stables.

Anna and Kristoff both leaped from each other.

"Oh my god Anna, I wasn't meant to- I'm so sorry-"

"No, no, I know, I just, I just haven't been touched-"

"WHAT ON EARTH ARE YOU TWO DOING!"

Both Kristoff and Anna froze on the spot. Then they turned.

Outside the once peaceful Arendelle was swept up in a full blizzard. Elsa stood at the entrance of the stable. She was absolutely fuming with anger.

"Elsa, this isn't what you think," said Anna timidly.

"To hell it is," replied Elsa dangerously, before glaring at Kristoff. "You and me need to talk. NOW."

Kristoff proceeded to follow Elsa outside, swallowing hard. As he glanced back at Anna, an apologetic expression on his face, he saw the exact same reflected on hers. Well, at least they knew they didn't hate each other, and that was enough for now. But he was in deep shit. Deep shit.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Elsa had noticed that Anna seemed very jittery during dinner and that she kept looking towards the door. No doubt that she was worried about Kristoff, but when Elsa had questioned him about why he had happened to have his hand on her sister's breast, she quickly realised that his intentions were, in actual fact, entirely honourable and that it had actually been Anna who had refused to protect her modesty. Elsa sighed as she undid her long braid and changed into her nightgown. Sometimes she wondered whether Anna had learnt anything at all from her experience with Hans…

In the room opposite, Anna sighed in disappointment as she wondered why Prince Theobald had not appeared at dinner. It probably had had something to do with Kristoff, but perhaps he had noticed the blizzard outside and had taken it as a sign that Elsa was not in the best of moods to receive unfamiliar company, especially that of a man. As Anna peered outside her window, she noticed that the storm had in fact calmed down, and that above, there was only the usual clear night sky. Anna frowned as she returned to her bed. She wondered what Kristoff had told her sister to make the blizzard to stop…

_"I see that you have arrived safely."_

_"Ye-s, yes, indeed I have."_

_"And Queen Elsa?"_

_"I have yet to meet her."_

_"Hmm. Your progress is slow, you must make haste."_

_"Why?"_

_"That is none of your concern Theobald. The only thing you must concentrate on is earning the Queen's favour. At least, for now."_

_"I still don't understand why you thought that sending me would be a good idea. Why would she look me? Or even consider me?"_

_"You're unassuming."_

_"Exactly! I'm the last person you'd would expect to earn the Queen's attention."_

_"Yes…. Exactly."_

…

As Elsa sat in the throne room, staring melancholically at the portrait of her parents, a knock came on the door.

"Your Majesty?"

"Yes?"

Elsa's top advisor entered hastily, a little afraid of disturbing the Queen's solitude, especially given the news he had to bring.

"Good morning Your Majesty. I would not have disturbed you if it had not been urgent. You see, the is a young prince from the Southern Isles here, requesting an audience with you. It appears that he is here on behalf of his brothers to apologise for things concerning the past. Of course, if you would prefer it, I can send him right-"

"There'll be no need for that. You may send him right in, just give me a moment."

The advisor stared at the demure Queen, who was standing elegantly by the window, her back turned to him. He was slightly stunned by her passive response.

"Right, of- of course Ma'am." And with that, the advisor left, closing the door carefully behind him.

Elsa let out a huge jagged gasp before turning around and starting to pace the floor. As she paced up and down the throne room, she started to notice frost appearing on the floor. She cried out in frustration. A Prince from the Southern Isles?! Now she finally understood Anna's agitation yesterday! Why hadn't she mentioned this to her? Much good it would do now though, this Prince whoever he was would be walking through the doors any minute now… No! No, calm down, calm down, remember, you are the Queen, he is a Prince, he has come to apologise, remember, you have the advantage.

Elsa breathed in deeply before sitting down on her throne, her posture upright and poised. She breathed out.

What if he was like Hans… What if he was intimidating and started blackmailing her… What if he was dangerous… What if he-

The doors open at the side, and the advisor appeared once more.

"Presenting His Royal Highness, Prince Theobald of the Southern Isles."

Elsa braced herself inwardly.

"Oh, do I walk in now? Is she there? Just one bow? One bow. Oh, ok, ok."

At first, Elsa thinks this is a joke. Perhaps it was Anna's idea of making her laugh first thing in the morning.

Because the man who had just entered the room could not possibly be a royal . As he walked in clumsily, back hunched over, eyes darting nervously here and there (it was a rather large throne room to be fair), hair unkempt and attire generally scruffy, despite his uniform, Elsa struggled to get to grips with the sight in front of her. As the advisor announced his name again, the prince now bowing in front of her, she noticed how his face reminded her of Hans. They had the same hair colour, same height, same sort of face. Elsa's sarcastic smile disappeared.

…..

"She's ready to see you."

"Sorry?" stammered Theobald, who was trying to rub the sweat off his hands. God, why was he so nervous!

"Queen Elsa is in the throne room sir," said the advisor, staring at the prince in a slightly disgruntled way. The man looked way too scruffy and disorganised to be able to deserve a private audience with the queen.

"Oh, I see, well then, we mustn't keep her waiting," said Theobald, a little too brightly, before clearing his throat nervously and gesturing the advisor to lead the way.

They did not walk too long before they approached a double door decorated considerably more than the others that they had passed.

"Are you ready sir?" asked the advisor, his hands already on the handles.

"As ready as I'll ever be," muttered Theobald.

The doors opened. The advisor announced his name. Silence.

Was she even in there?

The advisor was now glaring at him.

"Oh, do I walk in now? Is she there? Just one bow? One bow. Oh, ok, ok," whispered Theobald, noticing how the advisor's eyes were now starting to bulge out.

Big breath, come on, you can do this. She won't freeze you to death, don't be so silly you wally. Move, go! MOVE YOUR FEET.

Theobald entered the throne room. It was much bigger than he had imagined. As he looked around, he tried to figure out where Queen Elsa was. He turned as the sound of a rustle. He felt his heart drop as he took in the scene in front of him. No freezing needed, he was already frozen. He never knew that a word such as beautiful could sound so dull and trivial. That's what everyone said, "Elsa the beautiful Snow Queen". She was beautiful alright but the word was hardly justice to the truth. As she glittered in the morning sunlight, she sat with such poise and stillness that Theobald had not initially noticed her. She seemed to exert this sense of nobility and elegance, the two things that he lacked the most.

He approached her as smoothly as he could, but failed miserably by tripping on the carpet on his way up the steps. Finally, as he stood before her, he noticed just how enchanting she really was. She wore a smile which seemed to hint that she was amused by him. Catching her eye, he felt his cheeks become red, so he quickly bowed as low as he possibly could before lifting his head again. For a moment, it seemed as though she had registered something and suddenly her smile was completely gone. It had been replaced by a cold, bitter sort of gaze that made him shiver. He stepped down a step.

"So, you are Prince Theobald of the Southern Isles."

Her voice was melodious too, thought Theobald helplessly.

"Indeed, I am."

"And which prince are you specifically?" asked Elsa passively.

"I am the second youngest brother. The youngest you of course know. He is indeed the reason why I have journeyed all this way. I have come, as representative of my family, to make amends with your kingdom, and your family."

"You?" blurted Elsa, before she could stop herself. Her eyes widened. How could she be so rude?

"Er, yes, I completely understand your dismay. In fact, I reciprocate it!" said Theobald with a hasty laugh. "I am the least prince-like of my brothers unfortunately, and indeed am considered an embarrassment."

"That is not very noble of you," said Elsa dismissively, unconsciously turning her chin slightly up. Have you no sense of pride or self-worth?"

"Of course, just not in this area," said Theobald with frown. Elsa may be beautiful but she also seemed to be a bit of a snob. He couldn't quite believe this Queen could be sisters with such a genuinely nice person such as Anna.

"Then I do wonder why your brothers decided to send you to Arendelle…"

Elsa stared at the odd prince with narrowed eyes when suddenly the doors burst open.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty!"

"Yes? What it is?" asked Elsa with concern, seeing the adviser panting, clearly out of breath.

"It's Princess Anna Ma'am. She has been climbing up the roof again to see the ships. I'm afraid she's stuck!"

"What do you mean stuck?!"

"Her leg is trapped through a loose tile Ma'am. Kristoff is in the mountains so we have no way of reaching him!"

"Where is she?" asked Theobald with a firm directness which made Elsa blink twice. Where had that come from?

"Near the tower sir."

"Have you got any rope?"

"Wait a minute, wait a minute. Prince Theobald, would it not be wise to ask someone else to rescue Anna? You do not look exactly-" started Elsa with agitation.

"Looks can be deceiving Ma'am. I may be from the Southern Isles, but it does not necessarily mean that I have spend all my life there," said Theobald with a certain firmness. In secret, he hated it when people doubted his capabilities.

"I prefer the mountains."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Without another word, the three left the throne room and sprinted down the hallway and up the stairs to the highest porch. As they stepped outside, they saw a crowd of people at the bottom shouting words of assurance, along with some who were now protesting inaudibly to Elsa, Theobald and the adviser. Elsa looked up at the sound of Anna's voice. Her eyes widened as she saw Anna muttering to herself in self-assurance as she clung to the roof, her foot stuck between two loose tiles. Below her was a wooden scaffold which she must have used to climb up on to the roof. Elsa paused to think.

"Do you think it could be possible to pull scaffold down?"

"Of course-"

"That would take too long," interrupted Theobald bluntly, much to the dislike of the adviser.

"Sir, it is the only logical-" started Elsa in annoyance but she found that she was conversing with thin air. "Prince Theobald? Prince Theobald!"

The Prince had already left the balcony and started climbing up the roof, using his sword in between the tiles to pull himself up. He sighed nervously. It had looked a lot easier down by the balcony. Why did he have to go and be so idiotic, dropping all sense of logic because some adviser and his poncy majesty thought he was worthless!

"What on earth does he think he's doing?" protested the adviser. "He's going to get hurt!"

Below, the audience were cheering, although some of them were slightly confused, murmuring to each other that the mysterious man looked strangely like the villainous Prince Hans who had nearly killed the Queen and her sister only a few months before.

Up on the roof, Anna was still trying to pull her foot out, to no avail.

"Don't panic Anna, it's alright, someone will come, don't worry, you silly girl, you silly, silly, stupid, you must be the most stupid person in the world-"

"Don't worry Your Highness, I'll have you down in no time at all!"

Wait, she recognised that voice.

"Theobald!" she said with relief, looking down to see the prince climbing up the roof. "Be careful!"

But soon Anna's expression of relief turned to shock. As she looked down at the crowd of spectators, she recognised a reindeer and certain mountain man. And while the majority of the crowd was cheering, this man certainly was not cheering. Nor was he smiling.

"ANNA!" bellowed Kristoff, hardly believing what he was seeing. He leaves her for one morning and already she's trying to kill herself. And who was climbing- HANS!

Without another word, Kristoff started to sprint through the crowd.

"Anna, I'm going to pull your foot out but this means you will probably fall, so I need you to hold on to this sword okay?"

By now Theobald had reached Anna, and was beside Anna, sticking the sword between two tiles.

"Okay," said Anna, gripping on to the handle, as the prince pulled her leg out, causing two tiles to fall. The crowd gasped.

"It's okay, it's okay," said Theobald reassuringly, although inside he was as nervous as a hapless dog. "Right… Now how am I going to get you down to the scaffold?" he murmured helplessly.

Down below, Elsa sighed in impatience. "That's it, I'm not going to just stand here while that ponsy idiot tries to show off-" she said, pulling up her sleeves.

"You- your Majesty?" stammered the adviser as Kristoff immerged on to the balcony.

"What the hell is going on here?" he exclaimed as he looked up at Anna and Hans who were both holding on to the sword.

Elsa proceeded to climb up on to the highest point of the balcony before aiming towards the roof and creating a thick sheet of powder snow.

"That should do it."

"Anna, Anna, look down!" said Theobald. "Crawl down carefully, you shouldn't slip now."

Anna smiled inwardly. Elsa had created snow to help them…

Anna and Theobald both climbed down the roof slowly before stepping on to the scaffold and pulling it down to the balcony, where Elsa, the adviser and Kristoff were waiting.

As Anna climbed off the scaffold, she stared gingerly at the scene in front of her.

Her sister was clearly displeased, upset that Anna had put herself in danger. The adviser was muttering all sorts of nonsense about whether she had been hurt or not.

"I'm so sorry Elsa," said Anna, staring pleadingly at her sister.

Elsa simply gave Anna a hardened stare before hugging her tightly, smiling in relief as she tried to fight back tears.

"Just don't you dare do that again, okay?"

"Okay, I'm so sorry."

As Anna opened her eyes, she turning rigid.

"Anna," said Elsa, frowning before letting her go. "What is it?"

She followed Anna's gaze to look behind her. Kristoff….

"Anna," said Kristoff darkly, his expression unreadable.

"Well, at least you're safe-" started Theobald after a moment's silence, glancing at the strange commoner uneasily.

"YOU COULD HAVE KILLED YOURSELF! WHAT THE HELL WHERE YOU THINKING?!"

Kristoff was absolutely fuming, his expression a mixture of anger and hurt, the likes of which Anna had never seen before.

"Excuse me sir, that is no way to talk to a lady, let alone-"

"You will keep your mouth shut," snarled Kristoff at the adviser, before pushing his way towards Anna.

"I leave you alone for one morning, one morning Anna and you nearly kill yourself! Why were you up there in the first place?! Are you so idiotic that you can't even look after yourself properly!"

"Kristoff-" protested Elsa but he cut her off, keeping his gaze directly on Anna.

"Did you not consider how dangerous it would be?"

"Well-"

"Did you not think?"

"I was-"

"How stupid can you be Anna?!"

After a awkward pause, Anna replied, avoiding Kristoff's glare.

"I- I used to go up the scaffold a lot when I was younger, and it was a nice day I guess and-"

"I think what she is trying to say sir, is that you might be slightly over-reacting," said Theobald warmly.

Kristoff narrowed his eyes before turning towards Theobald. At first Kristoff had thought he was Hans, but he seemed slightly different. He was too angry to care however.

"Who are you?" he said bluntly.

"Oh, um, I am Prince Theobald of the Southern Isles," said Theobald, bowing nervously.

"So you're a brother of Hans?" said Kristoff, through gritted teeth.

"Er, yes," said Theobald, giving a frail smile.

"Here's a message from me to Hans," said Kristoff dully, and without warning, he raised his fist and punched Theobald squarely in the face, causing everyone to gasp. Elsa immediately knelt down by the fallen prince.

"And you," said Kristoff, glaring at Anna once more, his voice shaky. "Don't you dare scare me like that ever again."

And without another word, he left the way he came.

The audience were no longer clapping or cheering, instead staring confusedly at the balcony. Who had been that strange commoner? What had he been doing on the balcony? And why did he punch the prince who had saved Anna?

Elsa stared worriedly at Anna. "I think you might want to leave him be for a while."

"No," retorted Anna with frustration. "I'm so sorry Theobald, he was completely out of line. I don't understand why he did that. Actually, sometimes I don't understand him at all sometimes."

"Oh, don't worry about me," said Theobald helplessly, waving his hand while the other cradled his nose. "He just loves you I think."

"Here," said Elsa, giving Theobald a handkerchief. "Anna, seriously, I don't think he's in the right mind to talk to you right now."

"No! I'm- I'm going after him. I have to. This is all my fault."

And just like that, Anna left the balcony.

Elsa sighed tiredly. She never listens.

"They really love each other, don't they?" said Theobald as he sat up against the balcony.

"Yes, I think they do. I'm starting to realise that more and more. A miracle really, concerning how badly things went for Anna with.. Well, you know."

"Yes, which is why this," said Theobald, gesturing towards his bloody nose, "is completely understandable."

"I am so sorry. I didn't intend for you to have such a terribly first day here. Oh, and thank you, for saving my sister," said Elsa gingerly, staring down at the crowd.

"Oh, it was nothing. Silly of me really, to go up there on my own. I should have brought back-up, and besides, Your Majesty, you were the one that saved _us_ in the end," said Theobald.

Elsa stared nervously at the prince as he smiled warmly, a bloody handkerchief held up to his nose. He was so different to…

"We ought to get you cleaned up," said Elsa dismissively, standing up to talk to her adviser, who everyone seemed to have forgotten about.

"So will the prince be staying in the castle ma'am?" said the adviser, hardly believing his own words.

"Yes, I think so," stammered the Queen. "And please send the nurse to tend his injuries."

"Thank you very much, Your Majesty," said Theobald, standing up clumsily.

"It is the very least I can do," said Elsa elegantly, before turning to leave the balcony.

"You are not like your brother, that, at least, I can acknowledge," said Elsa, hiding her face from view before walking away.

Theobald stared after the Queen. Perhaps she was not as cold-hearted as he had first thought.


	5. Chapter 5

Author's note:

Hey guys, sorry for not updating, had exams etc. but should be regular from now on! :) thanks for everyone's reviews, they were great! xxx

Chapter 5

Anna knocked on the door.

"Who is it?"

"It's me," Anna said quietly. She heard muffled footsteps and a moment later, the door opened.

"Kristoff?"

Kristoff stood in front of Anna, staring down guilty at the carpeted floor. He had taken off his harvesting gear and was wearing a crumpled up shirt with the sleeves rolled up.

"I can't believe I actually punched him," he said, before turning away and retreating back into his room. Anna took this as a gesture to come inside. The room was dark, and as twilight was upon them, it was only dimly light by the fading sun outside. Although far from emaculate, it smelt like reindeer and leather, which Anna, although at first found disgusting, had now come to associate with Kristoff and therefore felt instead warmth and familiarity.

"I know! I - I hadn't expected that… I hadn't expected you to get so upset-" started Anna, but she was careful to not sound too sour or discerning.

"You were right Anna. I'm sorry, I overreacted and-"

"No, Kristoff. It was my fault. I should have thought of the consequences. I just didn't realise how much my actions of foolishness would effect the people around me. I've spent my whole life alone, so I've sort of gotten used to people not noticing me."

"I know how you feel Anna, I was the same too," murmured Kristoff, his back turned so Anna could not see his expression. It could not disguise the emotion in his voice however. "But things are different now. I care about you Anna, so much, probably more than you'll ever know. You have no idea how I felt when I saw you…. frozen." He said the final word with such dread and fear, it was hardly a whisper.

"Hey," said Anna firmly, crossing the threshold, turning Kristoff's face with the palm of her hand.

"You will never have to see that ever again. I promise."

"It's not just that. Today I should have-" Kristoff stopped mid sentence, anxiety ridden over his face as he stared at Anna. He turned away once more.

"Should have what?"

"I just-"

"Why did you really punch him Kristoff?" asked Anna gently, but with a certain firmness.

"I was jealous, okay?" blurted out Kristoff, turning to look at Anna, who's expression immediately softened. "I should have been up there Anna, not some random guy! I- I was disappointed in myself. I'm not perfect, Anna and sometimes I just feel so….." He couldn't find the right words. His shoulders sagged in defeat as he avoided her gaze, ashamed that she should see how pathetic he was.

"Kristoff, you are a very special person to me. You know that, right?" said Anna, lacing her fingers into his as she stepped closer towards him.

"Of course but-"

"I don't mean like Elsa!" retorted Anna. She felt her heart thumping as she tried to find the right words to say so that he could understand. "I mean, as a woman loves a man." She looked down at the carpet immediately, hardly believing what she'd just said, her cheeks burning uncontrollably. She hadn't planned for him to see her like this. Nevertheless she carried on.

"Please, never forget that."

"How could I?" said Kristoff with difficulty, hardly believing what he was hearing. It was nearly dark and he could not see Anna's face clearly, partly because she was staring at the ground. "Anna, you do realise that I'll never be able to let you go. Once you take one step towards me, that will be it."

"So take me," said Anna quietly, the awkwardness in her voice gone. She sounded unusually sombre as she breathed out deeply, staring up at Kristoff. The darkness strangely gave her confidence.

As they both stared at one another in the darkness, moonlight streaming quietly through the window, they knew that they had finally figured out what they had, for so long, felt troubled over. And there was no going back.

…

"_So, I see that you have left quite an impression on the Queen."_

"_I suppose so. She at least has accepted me to some degree."_

"_Good. Then you must proceed to the next level."_

"_Level?"_

"_Little brother, you cannot be that dim-witted. You must woo her of course."_

"_Woo? You never spoke of any wooing being involved! My purpose, the reason I am _here_, is to renew relations with Arendelle!"_

"_Oh come brother, did you really think that was why we sent you? Why do you think we chose you, hmm? Why such an unassuming, clumsy, weak-minded boy such as yourself? If you want to be able to live in peace and not be persecuted for you-know-what then you will do as we say. Did you really think that we would let you off so lightly? Did you honestly think that we sent you to simply renew relations! Ha! We have other, more important motives, surely you could have guessed that!" _

"_I won't let you hurt the Queen!"_

"_Oh, I see. And what exactly are you going to do, hmm? What position of power do you have to overthrow us? You have no choice Theobald, you are a convicted criminal. Unless you obey, you will be brought back here and executed. Is that what you want, little brother?"_

"…_."_

"_Then get on with it. And let us know when you have succeeded." _


	6. Chapter 6

Author's note: A little subtle sort of homage to a certain Disney movie from the fifties. Since a film connected to it is coming out this year, I thought I'd contribute. Congrats Frozen for all the awards and success that has blown your way!

Chapter 6

It was early morning in the stables and Theobald was attempting to get his horse to move. He had been planning a morning ride to clear his mind but the horse was being stubbornly unobliging.

"Oh, damn it," muttered Theobald.

"Do you need a hand there?

Theobald tensed slightly as he turned around at the sound of the man who had punched him the day before. But upon seeing the rugged man's surprisingly warm, almost embarrassed-looking expression, he relaxed. Slightly.

"Oh, um, if you don't mind. My horse seems to, er, not want to move," said Theobald awkwardly as he gestured towards the stubborn horse who was glaring up at Theobald, a grumpy expression on his face.

"Ah," said Kristoff as he approached the horse and stroked it's mane, smiling at it in recognition. "That would be because this horse belongs to the Queen. He refuses to ride anyone else. If you had planned to go riding, you could have just asked the servants."

"Oh," said Theobald in surprise. This man seemed completely different to the one he had encountered the day before. "Well, you see, I didn't want to cause anyone trouble."

Kristoff stopped short before replying and instead slowly glancing up at Theobald, and proceeded to study him with his eyes narrowed before shrugging and walking towards the other horses. "You know, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you weren't a prince. Most of them are snobby little idiots who go around bossing people around with their silly requests."

"Oh, well, you're not what I expected either," said Theobald hesitantly. "In fact, since I've been here, no one is what I had expected them to be."

Kristoff chuckled quietly before reappearing with another horse. "Well, welcome to Arendelle."

The new horse was much more obeying and good-natured, which Theobald liked. His chestnut coat was very elegant.

"Before you go!" said Kristoff, just as Theobald was about to set off. "I wanted to apologise for my behaviour yesterday. I was selfish and immature. I'm sorry."

"Oh no. No, I think partly I deserved it. I was closest to Hans, and part of me will always regret that I did not stop him when I had had the chance." Kristoff frowned slightly as he observed that prince's sudden change in manner.

"Well, you couldn't have known what Hans was going to do," said Kristoff carefully in a low voice. "You were in the Southern Isles."

"No," replied Theobald quickly, smiling weakly at Kristoff. "But judging by his character and history with women… Well, it is all over, but nonetheless, in my kingdom, when a one commits a crime, their family must also take the burden and responsibility for their actions."

"You truly are one of the most humble princes I've ever known," said Kristoff incredulously before stopping himself and reconsidering what he'd just said. "I mean, er, not that I know many."

"Yes, well, believe me, there are a LOT finer princes than me out there," said Theobald with a smirk before thanking Kristoff and taking the reins of his horse, swiftly leaving the stables, out into the open air.

Kristoff crossed his arms as he watched the prince depart. Well, if he was as clumsy as Anna had told him, his riding sure didn't show it. But as he turned to feed Sven his first bunch of carrots of the day, he frowned. Now that he thought about it, if Theobald had known Hans so well, why _didn't_ he stop him?

…

Elsa knew perfectly well that she had a million, no, trillion, other things that she ought to have been doing, but since reclaiming the throne, she had felt slowly more and more constrained. Almost claustrophobic. So before any of the servants came to wake her, she slowly slipped out of her room and went down towards the stables on the other side of the castle. Tip toeing her way across the hallways, she was reminded of her childhood, when she and Anna would sneak around at night, looking for opportunities to play and enjoy the freedom of not being constantly observed by adults and their parents.

Walking into the stables, she was surprised to see that her favourite horse was awake, and Sven was not in his sleeping spot. No doubt Kristoff had snuck out to enjoy the early spring like she had, perhaps in order to enjoy some freedom too.

"Good morning Misty," murmured Elsa, stroking Misty's mane, which she always enjoyed. "Let's go for a ride, hey?"

Riding through the wind, Elsa was reminded of her time in her ice castle, and liberated she had felt. But now, she had love also, which she now felt was more important. You can create your own freedom, but you can't create your own love. No, thought Elsa before smirking.

"I'd end up like Narcissus," said Elsa out loud.

As they approached the hidden wood which lay a little bit up the mountain behind the castle, Elsa was struck by the beauty which was before her. Lush green trees were filled with birds, now singing in all their glory, the sun streaming through on to the soft green turf beneath.

"Beautiful," murmured Elsa in awe as slowed Misty down in order to look more closely at the birds.

As her eyes scanned the threshold, her eyes were caught something truly special. An elegant doe was drinking water from a small pool of water not 20 metres away from them.

"Misty," whispered Elsa. "Stop"

Slowly getting off the horse, Elsa proceeded to freeze the ground beneath her silently and slide her feet down her man-made trail slowly towards the doe as to not create any rustling. The doe was facing the other way, so it could only notice her if she made a noise. As she approached the doe, Elsa suddenly felt her balance go, and for a split second she knew exactly what was going to happen. As she let out a yell, tripping on her skirt, she saw the doe turn and run away, and inwardly she felt what a waste of ice she had spent and now she was going to hit the ground and it was going to hurt and -

She didn't.

She found herself being held up by some mysterious source. For a moment she wondered whether she had magical powers too. But then she heard a grunt, and suddenly she registered that the weight behind her was a person and things holding her up were arms.

"Oh!" exclaimed Elsa, sliding up her feet upright again on the ice, releasing herself from the hands on her arms before turning around to see who had been waltzing around the woods so early in the morning-

Elsa blinked twice before staring in bewilderment. This man had clearly not shaved this morning, his hair was unruly, and his attire was a monstrosity of unbelievable proportions, wearing nothing but a white thin shirt to cover his chest was quite improper, in fact, he sort of reminded Elsa vaguely of-

"Theobald," said Elsa bluntly, her eyes wide and mouth open. "I, I mean," damn it, she was stammering, she never stammered. "Your Highness," corrected Elsa, readjusting her posture, lifting her chin slightly before stepping forward. But clearly it was truly early in the morning, for once again she stepped on the rim of her dress.

"Ahh!"

"Your Majesty!"

A few seconds later, Elsa found herself collapsed on top of a large mass which proceeded to grunt a second time. Feeling her cheek lying next to a surprisingly well-built chest, she felt herself vaguely note that it did not smell too bad. Elsa froze before jolting up into a sitting position. Smell? Smell?! She looked down to see Theobald rubbing the back of his head, his face scrunched up in discomfort. His unruly hair didn't look half bad from this position. Elsa's eyes widened. What was wrong with her brain today?!

"Ow, ah, that sort of hurt," he murmured before opening his eyes to gaze vaguely at the woman sitting on top of him. No, the Queen….. The Queen!

"Your- Majesty, what are- what are you doing here?" blurted out Theobald, looking anywhere but at Elsa as he cursed himself inwardly. He was probably blushing. When he had caught her from behind he hadn't known who she was; he hadn't recognised her at all, especially as she was wearing riding clothes. Oh, god, he shouldn't have come out for a ride, now he's put the Queen in such an embarrassing situation, and now that he's blushing she'll think he's a pervert and- oh god, she staring at him-

But then, the weight on top of him suddenly left, and he turned to see Elsa staggering as she got up, readjusting her dress discreetly before turning towards Theobald once more. This time, standing not on ice.

"Your Highness, if you do not mind me asking first," said Elsa as cooly as she could, "what _are_ you doing here?"

"Ah, yes, that is a most interesting question, and very important one at that too," said Theobald as he got up carefully, swiping off stray leafs from his trousers. As far as awkward situations go, having a royal member of the family, no, a _Queen_, sitting up on top of you, non-intentionally, is pretty much up there. The fact that, terrifying as it was to think it, Theobald had surprisingly not minded having her there, was irrelevant. If the Queen ever found out, he would certainly be arrested over claims of harassment by the Queen. Besides, after what had happened, he doubted that any chance of a romantic entanglement with the Queen still remained. Not that he had ever thought that there ever really was one from the beginning. For now, he would comply with his brothers. Any, even if he tried, he had no chance. That much was clear.


	7. Chapter 7

Author's note: Thanks for the reviews and followings guys! It's really encouraging and helps me keep writing! :) again, a little steal of dialogue in this one from a disney movie, can you guess which one? Happy reading everyone!

Chapter 7

Theobald had suggested that they take cover under a nearby oak tree, for the clouds above were becoming grey and he feared that rain would soon be pelting down on to them. Fortunately he had brought with him a full day's supply of food, drink and some extra blankets, in case of a sudden change in temperature.

"Here," he said, as he passed a blanket quickly to Elsa, who was now sitting by the trunk of the large tree. "I must admit that when I first ventured up here, I had not been expecting it to rain. But then, neither it seems did you."

"No," said Elsa self-consciously, avoiding Theobald's gaze. There was less distance between them now, and she suddenly became acutely aware that she was very much alone. Prince or no prince, the fact was that she didn't really know Theobald at all. He was a stranger….. Now that it was raining, she was stuck here and would have to be with him till it stopped. Of course, she could make it snow, but she was tired from her ride up the mountain, and had not enough strength to sustain so much power.

"You know what I've just realized," exclaimed Theobald, causing Elsa jolt and be brought back out of her thoughts.

"What?" she asked nervously with a worried frown.

"I don't really know you," said Theobald frankly, as he turned away from his horse to walk towards Elsa, a beguiling smile emerging on his face as he sat down opposite her. She noticed that he was not completely covered by the leaves and that raindrops were starting to land on his shirt. He had obviously felt that she was nervous and had taken the courtesy to not sit directly next to her. Elsa's frown deepened in confusion as she observed Theobald take out food from the basket which he had brought with him. Everything she had learned about him from observation was contradictory. He was clumsy yet well-mannered, timid and yet abruptly brave and even confident at times, scruffy and yet surprisingly attractive, something which he seemed completely unaware of-

Elsa's eyes widened. Wait. Attractive?! Since when did she think he was attractive?! What a stupid, silly, utterly ridiculous-

"ELSA!"

"Huh?" said Elsa, who found herself staring directly into a pair of soulful, chestnut eyes. She suddenly became aware that Theobald had moved from his previous position, and was now crouching down so that their eye-level was equal, currently staring at her in very confused, slightly worried manner.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Your - Majesty," stammered Theobald as he became aware of Elsa staring back at him, his eyes suddenly starting to look everywhere but at Elsa as he moved hastily away from her, back to where he had been before. "It's just that you were unresponsive and I was scared that you were suffering from a panic attack and-"

"I'm fine," said Elsa in a warm but slightly blunt fashion in order to make Theobald stop talking.

She smiled unconsciously as she saw Theobald freeze, his hands half-away through his ruffled hair, his expression full of neurotic panic.

"Oh," sighed Theobald in relief, and he let his arms drop. "Good, that's good. But er, if you don't mind me asking, Your Highness, what were you doing?"

"What?" stammered Elsa, suddenly _very _self-consciously and becoming increasingly aware of how warm her cheeks were. "I was, um, just, thinking."

Theobald stared at her quizzically, waiting for her to continue.

"Thinking about," said Elsa desperately, raking her brains. How handsome you-

"About my sister!" she blurted out, a little too loudly.

Theobald's eyes widened slightly at what he perceived to be a rather energetic response. There was something off about the Queen today, but he couldn't put his finger on it…. but seeing Elsa simply stare back at him, he began to nod slowly before continuing to arrange the food.

Elsa let out a sigh. She had been too close to revealing her true feelings. Yet again, she had put herself into a position of having to conceal herself, and not let anything show. Well, she'd had enough practice by now to be able put it into good use. Still, she had come to the woods in order to let herself go, not to suffocate, like how she was feeling now.

"Sandwiches, that's all I've got I'm afraid," said Theobald apologetically as he passed Elsa a dish array with different sandwiches.

"Thank you, it's more than enough for me… I'm used to very simple food actually," said Elsa hesitantly, as she picked one up.

"Simple food?" said Theobald, who had begun to eat one of his. "Oh, sorry, bad manners, shouldn't speak while eating."

"Oh no, go ahead, my sister and I do that all the time," said Elsa warmly with a smile.

"The Queen and the Princess scoffing themselves with sandwiches. Hmm, somehow I can't picture it," said Theobald in a playfully mocking way, which made Elsa laugh a little. "But why the simple food? Surely two princesses growing up in a castle would be prepped and primed as they should be."

"Well, you must know by now the story of how I concealed my powers," began Elsa slowly, which Theobald nodded in return, "I lived in a castle with no contact with the outside world. I had no friends, and I didn't eat or socialize with my sister at all during the whole of my adolescence. Over time I became depressed and refused to eat. In the end, I could only manage simple food, in fact, I convinced myself that that was all I deserved. It also helped because with less strength I thought I could stop my powers from getting stronger."

Theobald stared speechless at Elsa's sad, lonely figure staring melancholically down at the ground, the only sound now the pitter patter of rain softly hitting the leaves above them.

"Did you ever think about…. you know, suicide?" asked Theobald tentatively, but seeing Elsa lift her head and stare at him, no, frown at him, he immediately started to back-track. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to pry-"

"No, no, it's not that!" said Elsa in desperation, shaking her hands in front of her, shuffling closer towards Theobald. "It's just that, no one's ever asked me that before. It's so foreign… So strange to be able to talk about it now. It's sort of, liberating," said Elsa, staring at Theobald incredulously, as his worried expression slowly ebbed away.

"So you did," said Theobald hesitantly, studying Elsa's face. _She was so beautiful__… __It would have been a such waste. _He stopped himself from thinking anything more.

"I did," said Elsa before taking a big breath. It was the first she had ever admitted it to anyone. For some bizarre reason she had managed, for the first time in her life, to confess her true feelings to someone. It just happened to be someone she had just met.

_You can't marry a man you've just met. _

Elsa blushed inwardly. She was slightly ashamed of her words now. Though she wasn't so silly that she would marry someone she'd just met, she could sort of understand now how Anna had fallen for Hans so easily. There seemed to be a sort of strange charm which ran through the family.

"What stopped you?" came a muffled voice.

Elsa looked up, slightly confused by the strangeness in his voice, before catching her breath upon seeing Theobald's face. Though he was trying to hide it as best as he could, his expression was one of such anguish, and though it was slight, Elsa could swear she could see tears in his eyes.

"I - I knew that Anna would be sad, and that she would be alone. Despite the fact that she would be safer, I didn't want her to go through the kind of loneliness that I did. She was my responsibility, I had to fill my parents shoes. I owed it to them. Otherwise, all their effort would have been for nothing. I had to become stronger."

"I'm sorry," said Theobald, turning away from Elsa to recompose himself. "I don't know what overcame me."

"That's ok, it is upsetting, and I was foolish girl to think it would solve my problems. It was an escape route which, if I had taken, would have cemented the fact that I was a coward."

"You're not coward, Elsa," retorted Theobald, his voice with a tone of slight annoyance, much to Elsa's surprise. His expression had changed once more, and he stared down at her now with such resoluteness that it caused her to sag her shoulders in defeat. He was unpredictable. It wasn't an opinion but a fact. "You weren't a coward for running away when they found out."

"But I should have stood up for myself. Told myself to not have so much fear." Now she could feel her tears coming. Brilliant. "I was a coward and I failed Anna."

"Elsa, are you-" started Theobald with concern, looking into her eyes.

"Oh no, just a little dust in my eye," said Elsa, giving him the best smile she could.

"Would you like a clean sleeve?" asked Theobald, coming closer and gesturing towards his hand.

"No, I'm fine, really. All better-" began Elsa but she was intervened by Theobald's hand, which slowly placed itself protectively over hers.

"You don't have to be so brave you know," said Theobald purposefully, staring at Elsa in a way that no one had really looked at her before. It was as if he could see her. _Really see her_. And it frightened her. It frightened her to death.

"Oh, but I do actually," said Elsa, her voice wavering as she slowly moved her hand away and shuffled back to the safety of the trunk of the tree.

Theobald stared woefully at her as she proceeded to eat silently. Despite her current happiness, her past still haunted her. Much like his did.


End file.
